1 March 2006

White Bread MattersWhile many parents would prefer their children to eat high fibre, wholegrain bread they know their kids, particularly once they are at school, will be wanting sandwiches made with white bread like everyone else. Even with the best of intentions, parents generally find it’s hard to get the grainy or soy and linseed breads into children. Don’t give up trying. And don’t despair. There are now two low GI white breads (with published GI values) on Australian supermarket shelves and one in the UK. They are ideal to set children up with a sustaining breakfast and fill those lunch boxes with healthy sandwiches: George Weston Foods Tip Top UP EnerGI (GI 54), Goodman Fielder’s Wonder White Low GI (GI 54) and Warburtons All in One loaf (GI 49). They were specially formulated by the manufacturers in response to the growing recognition of the benefits of eating low GI foods in treating childhood obesity and preventing type 2 diabetes later in life. There are other benefits too. ‘Studies have shown that low glycemic index foods are an important part of a healthy diet for children as they supply them with sustained energy levels during the day, which helps maintain physical and mental concentration,’ says Prof. Jennie Brand-Miller from the University of Sydney’s Human Nutrition Unit.

Both the Australian breads carry the GI Symbol meaning they have had their GI tested using the accredited methodology and meet the strict nutritional criteria set out in the public health program run by the University of Sydney, Diabetes Australia and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. For more information visit: www.gisymbol.com

Sweet Beginnings—Agave Nectar Is the First US Product to Carry GI SymbolSweet Cactus Farms Premium Agave Nectar: (GI 19) is extracted from the pineapple-shaped core of the Blue Weber agave (Agave tequilana), a succulent plant (not a cactus) native to Mexico. It’s been cultivated for hundreds of years giving the world aguamiel, pulque, and tequila as well as agave nectar, a liquid sweetener. Premium Agave Nectar is around 90 percent fructose (which accounts for its low GI), and about 25 per cent sweeter than sugar so you don’t need to use as much. You can use it to sweeten food or drinks including tea and coffee. Sweet Cactus Farms says that if you are using it in your baking instead of sugar:

In my reading, I've seen that consumption of fructose in significant fractions of total calories (~25% or more) has an aggravating effect on fat production and storage, as well as triglyceride production. This is why beverages made with high-fructose corn syrup are a poor choice. I've decided to all but totally avoid fructose except in fruit.